They were introduced by one of Eddie’s old Army buddies, got engaged earlier this year on the fifth anniversary of their first date, and had decided to get married next May. They were planning to pay for the wedding themselves, though money was tight.

On a whim, Eddie entered Musket Ridge Golf Club‘s Love and Liberty Wedding Giveaway. The big prize was a wedding hosted by the scenic golf club and a sit-down dinner reception for 150 guests, a package worth about $15,000.

In mid-July, Eddie found out that they’d won. The news could not have come at a better time:

“I was convincing [Christine] to elope or run to the justice of the peace or something,” Eddie, who served with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division in Iraq and now works as a consultant with the Department of Defense, says. “She was coming around — she realized we couldn’t afford it. Then, just as I convinced her to go with the justice of the peace, we won this. So the timing was pretty cool.”

“I didn’t know he did the submission for it,” Briggs says.

“The only thing I’ve ever won in my life was guard duty,” Casinover said with a laugh. “I never really win.”

“It was just surreal. Even now, it’s just kind of surreal,” says Briggs, who works as a financial analyst with a wine and spirits distribution company. “Pinch me now, is this really happening? This doesn’t happen to people every day.”

Click inside for the rest of this fun, Washington, DC engagement shoot!

Love the angle & color of this shot!

Hahah! Love this one !

This one is too appropriate for their all-American themed September 11th wedding!

Also one of my fav shots from the group ~ art galleries make awesome engagement shoot locations

love the next 3 shots in sequence

Congratulations Christine & Eddie ~ best wishes for your wedding this weekend!! Thank you also to Cory B Photo for sharing this beautiful Washington, DC engagement with us!

[…] selflessly pursue the Love & Liberty giveaway himself, to offer up his photography services for Chrstine & Eddie‘s wedding, he was also the one responsible for reaching out to me, so that I could graciously […]